I am a producer of television and film, a radio host, author, entrepreneur, and perfumer – but I am probably best known for casting one of the most beloved television series of all time – “Little House on the Prairie.”

Before all that, my parents and I were from Chicago. My father, Harry Sukman, was a concert pianist and my mother, Franceska Paley, was a pianist organist. They both had their own radio shows. My father was featured every afternoon broadcasting live from The Palmer House in Chicago. He also appeared on a talk show hosted by Bill Balance on WBKB.  My mother had her own live radio show playing piano and singing on WBBM sponsored by Hartz Mountain and did their commercials. She also played the organ for the opening of the ballgames broadcast on WBBM.

We left Chicago and moved to Los Angeles when I was three years old as Hollywood offered a better chance for my father’s career.  He became a pianist at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, then a composer, and eventually, my father became an Emmy and Academy award-winning composer. My childhood was filled with music.

I grew up in the entertainment business, surrounded by well-known entertainers and actors. I spoke to Frank Sinatra on the phone. I heard Walter Matthau, accompanied by Jack Lemon on the piano, singing opera. It was a glorious time.

Once, my father was offered a role as music director for a New York show. When the show went on the road, we went with it, traveling by train around the country. Though I was an only child, I was never lonely, the actors in the show and my parents were my best friends.

Because of my upbringing, I saw the good and difficult times that actors went through; interviewing, auditioning, being rejected; and then doing it all again. Seeing this gave me an innate feeling and compassion for these creative people, especially the child actors. This feeling always stuck with me, even during high school and eventually in college when I attended UCLA.

Before I got into casting, I briefly pursued a music career. Being musically inclined, I was always asked to sing while being accompanied by my father. Fred Foster of Monument Records heard me sing my “signature” song, “When I Fall In Love” at one of my parents’ gatherings while in my 20s. That song was composed by my uncle, Victor Young, and was my favorite song to sing. Mr. Foster was impressed with my voice and signed me to a recording contract. They had contracts with such greats as Ray Stevens, Roy Orbison, and Boots Randolph. I recorded several records with Monument and even went on the road. But eventually, I grew tired of touring, and after we released my last record, “Say A Prayer For Michael,” I returned home to LA.

At that time, my dad was composing music for two NBC hit series, “The High Chaparral” and “Bonanza.” They had added a reception area for the casting office of those shows, and if I needed a job – which I did – I could interview for the receptionist job.  That is when I first met the interviewer, Mr. Kent McCray. I was hired!

And I was busy. I typed call sheets, shooting schedules, and cast lists for the two shows. I met Michael Landon during this time. He made me laugh the first time we met – he told me he was going shopping for 13 toilet seat covers for his new home. I thought he was hilarious.

My job duties were also to set up interviews with agents for casting director Milt Hamerman. And when Milt’s secretary left, I was asked to replace her. After all, I already knew all the agents. If they wanted to see Milt, they had to get clicked in by a button under my desk. I worked hard and worked my way up. Three years later; Chaparral ended, and I was given the job of production and editorial secretary of Bonanza.

Once Bonanza ended, I then went to Paramount as a casting assistant for Harris & Kleinman. We cast the hit shows Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, and The Odd Couple. After a few months, I got a call from Kent McCray and Michael Landon. They asked me if I would like to work with them on a new project. They told me NBC had wanted to hire Harris & Kleinman to cast this project, but the ladies were asking for quite a bit of money. And Kent and Michael knew I would be doing all the work as their associate, while they got the big checks…so they asked me if I wanted to come over and just cast it myself.

It was all very hush hush; we couldn’t let Harris & Kleinman know I was the one who was going to go over to the show without them. Two days later, Kent called me, Michael was listening, and said “pack up your paper clips, we just heard; NBC approved, you’re working with us on our new show, ‘Little House on the Prairie.’”

I loved my job. Casting Little House was a chance to give talented people the opportunity to show off their talent, especially the children, and there were so many. I worked with them all, helped them when they came to audition, and even if they weren’t cast, I let the kids know they were special. My motto to be a good actor was simply, “don’t act.” I told them, “Be yourself,” put yourself in the dialogue and make yourself relatable. Sincerity is what makes an actor believable. I think my degree in psychology from UCLA helped me to understand the actors better.

Looking back, what made the show truly special was how real these characters felt. They weren’t just fictional figures—they were people you might meet in your own life. A neighbor, a shopkeeper, a doctor, a reverend. That relatability was at the heart of Little House on the Prairie, and I’ll always be grateful to the audience for embracing what we poured so much love into creating.

Michael Landon had a unique approach—he rarely provided written character descriptions, trusting instead that he would recognize the right actor the moment he saw them. I remember when Melissa Sue Anderson first auditioned for Laura Ingalls. She was undeniably talented, but Michael immediately saw her as Mary. That kind of instinctual casting is what made Little House feel so authentic.

I was also fortunate to work with incredibly gifted actors like Moses Gunn, whose performances brought such depth and emotion to the series. And then there was Shannen Doherty—one of the most talented young actresses I had the pleasure of casting. I first noticed her while working on Father Murphy, and I just knew she was perfect for Little House. Her energy and authenticity reminded me so much of Melissa Gilbert.

While casting Little House, I expanded my casting business under the banner of “Susan McCray Casting” and was hired to cast other hit shows as well. To name a few, I cast “Hawaii Five-O” and “Father Murphy,” two shows that also had a lot of child roles. I cast actors such as Maximillian Schell, Doris Roberts, Lance Kerwin, and Brian Keith. I cast newcomer actress Dee Wallace, star of “ET” and “Cujo.” Working again with Michael and Kent, I cast “Highway to Heaven” for five years. I was proud to cast Art Carney in “Where Pigeons go to Die” and then the last show that Michael ever produced, “Us”.

With that extensive career of casting behind me, one day Michael took me aside and said I was getting a Title. No longer would I be casting director for his projects – I would now be Vice President of Talent for Michael Landon Productions.

When “Little House on the Prairie” became “Little House: A New Beginning”, my best friend, Kent McCray, became the love of my life. We married in 1984 with Michael Landon as our best man and so began our Highway to Heaven.

After Michael’s passing, I co-produced with Kent the highly rated tribute movie “Michael Landon: Memories of Love and Laughter” for NBC in tribute for our friend.

I continued in casting, working with such actors as Ben Johnson, Leonard Nimoy, Dennis Farina, Dean Stockwell, Richard Roundree, and Linda Gray. In my casting career, I discovered many child actors that went on to successful adult careers such as Kurt Russell, Jason Bateman, Christina Applegate, Nicole Eggert, Steven Dorff, Paul Walker, Shannen Doherty, and Lance Kerwin. I actually became the casting director for more children than any other casting director in the business.

In addition to my extensive work in television and radio, I ventured into writing and entrepreneurship. I authored the children’s book and audiobook “Harry’s Piano,” which chronicles my father’s childhood and career. I also developed a natural, chemical-free perfume line called “Susan McCray’s Nightfall,” which includes a body lotion and body wash. This fragrance line has been featured in gift bags at prestigious events such as the Oscars and Country Music Awards.

From casting and producing iconic television series to authoring children’s literature and creating natural fragrances, I enjoy being involved in various creative fields and hope they will leave a lasting impact on the entertainment industry and beyond.